MARCH / APRIL 2016 JOURNAL AGAINST THE CLOCK A visit with RNs after hours sheds light on the challenges of shift work. Queen’s Park Day • Improving oral health • Q&A with new president ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING RNAO’S 91ST TaKING NURSING AND ATHE HEALTH SYSTEM GTO NEW HEIGHTS • HiLTMON TORONTO • MAY 5–7, 2016 Online registration for RNAO’s 2016 Annual All RNAO members and student associates are invited to this three-day event. The AGM is General Meeting (AGM) is now open. your chance to see your association working for you. Hear an overview of the year’s achievements and help shape the priorities that lie ahead. Learn more about what’s to Visit RNAO.ca/AGM2016 to ensure you don’t come in 2016 as a result of member-submitted resolutions. Watch peers – from every miss this opportunity to connect with peers facet of our health-care system – receive recognition for their exceptional work directly and hear about the achievements of your with patients, in administration, and in shaping the future of the nursing profession professional association over the past year. through education and research. SaTURdaY, MAY 7 This year’s AGM will feature a special screening of the documentary film In this heaven, featuring primary care NP and RNAO member Mae Katt. The screening will be followed CLOSING KEYNOTE PANEL by a closing keynote panel moderated by Duncan McCue, reporter, CBC News, Vancouver, First Nations in Canada: and correspondent, CBC’s The National. Panelists include: Challenges and Opportunities • Marty Beardy, Bearskin Lake resident • Chief Isadore Day, Ontario Regional Chief 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. • Doris Grinspun, RNAO CEO • Mae Katt, Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner • Chief Wayne Moonias, Neskantaga First Nation If you can’t make it to the AGM in person, the event will stream live online. Visit RNAO.ca for more details. DOn’t fORGET TO VOTE. onemember MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. one ote April 19 to May 5, 2016 RNAO members play a role in deciding This year, members will vote on: One member, one vote will open online important governance issues that affect • board structure recommendations beginning at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the current and future direction of RNAO. • approval of the 2016 auditors April 19. It closes at 12:00 p.m. on Members decide who gets to sit on the • 2016 ticket of nominations, including… Thursday, May 5. You can vote at any time association’s board of directors, and also during this voting period. Results of the vote on the selection of RNAO’s auditors, Member-at-Large, Nursing Education voting will be announced at the AGM and more. You do this by voting Elizabeth Edwards, RN, BScN, MSN on May 6. (electronically). Tammie McParland, RN, PhD To view candidate bios and other Member-at-Large, Nursing Practice governance materials, visit Cheryl Yost, RN, BScN, MEd myRNAO.ca/RNAO_election Maria Rugg, RN, BScN, MN (Other board members were acclaimed) PRIL 2016 A . 2, MARCH/ O L. 28, N O V conteNts FeAtURes 26 12 COVER STORY Against the clock About one third of canada’s labour force works unconventional shifts, including a large proportion of the country’s nurses. For many, it’s both a burden and a badge of honour. By Daniel Punch 18 Queen’s Park Day 2016 RNs, NPs and nursing students converge on Queen’s Park for RNAO’s signature political event just hours before the government introduces its 2016 budget. By Daniel Punch Photography by Kimberley Kearsey 24 Q&A with Carol Timmings The Journal sits down with RNAO’s 54th president, carol timmings, to find out more about her goals and vision for the future of the profession. By Daniel Punch 26 Improving oral health Public health nurse Poonam sharma shares some tips on how to meet the oral health needs of patients. By Poonam Sharma 12 30 the LiNeUP 4 EDITOr’S NOTE 5 PRESIDENT’S VIEW 6 CEO DISPATCH 7 RN PROFILE 8 NURSING IN THE NEWS/OUT AND ABOUT 11 NURSING NOTES 17 LegAL COLUMN 30 In THE END COVER ILLUSTRATION: RAYMOND BIESINGER REGISTERED NURSE JOURNAL 3 The journal of the REGISTERED NURSES’ editOR’s NOte KimbeRLey KeARsey ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO (RNAO) 158 Pearl Street Toronto ON, M5H 1L3 Phone: 416-599-1925 Toll-Free: 1-800-268-7199 Fax: 416-599-1926 Website: RNAO.ca Email: [email protected] Letters to the editor: [email protected] EDITORIAL STAFF Marion Zych, Publisher Kimberley Kearsey, Managing Editor The up side of adversity Daniel Punch, Writer Victoria Alarcon, Editorial Assistant EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Shelly Archibald, Steve Buist, Marianne Cochrane, Rebecca Harbridge, Paula Manuel, Melanie McEwen, Cheryl Yost vEry job has its challEngEs ART DIRECTION & DESIGN E . Of course, challenge in life is Fresh Art & Design Inc. And our cover feature (page 12) not limited to the workplace. ADVERTISING explores a big one for nurses. And our profile subject, mae Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario Phone: 416-599-1925 convincing your body to stay up Katt, is an NP from the remote Fax: 416-599-1926 and remain alert while the reaches of the province who SUBSCRIPTIONS majority of people are asleep can has seen her share of challenge Registered Nurse Journal, ISSN 1484-0863, is a (page 7). she has risen above benefit to members of the RNAO. Paid subscriptions be difficult. the nurses who are welcome. Full subscription prices for one year graciously allowed daniel adversity thanks to the (six issues), including taxes: Canada $38 (HST); Outside Canada: $45. Printed with vegetable-based Punch, our staff writer, to inspiration she finds in her inks on recycled paper (50 per cent recycled and shadow them on night shifts in aboriginal roots. her connec- 20 per cent post-consumer fibre) on acid-free paper. London and sarnia share some tion to the past is what’s Registered Nurse Journal is published six times a year by RNAO. The views or opinions expressed in of their strategies for getting propelled her to continue her the editorials, articles or advertisements are those through the late hours and important work in isolated of the authors/advertisers and do not necessarily represent the policies of RNAO or the Editorial avoiding some of the bad habits communities in the north. Advisory Committee. RNAO assumes no responsibility that come with shift work. Ontario is a big place, and or liability for damages arising from any error or omission or from the use of any information or Our legal column (page 17) RNAO has members in all advice contained in the Registered Nurse Journal also explores a real challenge in corners. Read our Q&A with including editorials, studies, reports, letters and advertisements. All articles and photos accepted nursing. if you haven’t already incoming president carol for publication become the property of RNAO. signed up for RNAO’s legal timmings (page 24) for a Indexed in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. assistance program (LAP) and glimpse of how she hopes the CANADIAN POSTMASTER have been thinking about getting next two years will provide her Undeliverable copies and change of address to: coverage, you’ll want to read the with an opportunity to connect RNAO, 158 Pearl Street, Toronto ON, M5H 1L3. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40006768. legal column for a better members from one side of RNAO OFFICERS AND SENIOR MANAGEMENT understanding of your responsi- Ontario to the other. con- Vanessa Burkoski, RN, BScN, MScN, DHA bilities when working with necting members is something President, ext. 502 unregulated care providers. this RNAO has become pretty good Carol Timmings, RN, BScN, MEd (Admin) President-Elect is one issue that our column at. We do it when we host Doris Grinspun, RN, MSN, PhD, LLD(hon), O.ONT writer chris bryden – a lawyer events like Queen’s Park Day Chief Executive Officer, ext. 206 who has represented nurses (page 18), and, of course, we Irmajean Bajnok, RN, MScN, PhD Director, International Affairs and Best Practice through LAP since 2009 – says look forward to doing it again nneth R. W nneth R. W Guidelinesn Cneentre,th R. W ext. 234 nneth R. W nneth R. W nneth R. W Ke ilso Ke ilso Ke ilso Ke ilso Ke ilso Ke ilso when we host our annual rix n rix n rix n rix n rix n is importantrix if youn want to avoid P 20 P 20 P 20 P 20 P 20 P 20 s 1 s 1 s 1 s 1 s 1 s 1 e 5 e 5 Nancye Campbell, MBA 5 e 5 e 5 e 5 L L L L L Magazine restrictionsL on your registration general meeting in may. hope Médaille Director,Médaille Finance and Administration, ext.Magazine 229 Site Web Finaliste de l’année d’argent Daniel Lau,d’or MBA de l’année Finaliste for inappropriatede l’année delegation. to see you all there. 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